by the El Reportero’s staff
Eric Maldonado with friends and other members of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Contra Costa County after receiving his award
On Tuesday, Mayor Dellums participated in the first ever Faith Leaders Summit on HIV, Cancer, Health and Wellness. The summit took place at the Oakland Marriott City Center and served as an important opportunity to raise awareness and educate community area residents of the vital health concerns facing our city. Mayor Dellums made the opening remarks and Cookie Johnson, the wife of Earvin “Magic” Johnson, also spoke in the day.
When Mayor Dellums launched Get Screened Oakland in June 2007, Oakland became the fi rst city on the west coast and the second city in the United States to undertake a citywide screening effort. The campaign aims to ensure that all Oakland residents – ages 13 to 64 – are screened for HIV. Since the launch of Get Screened Oakland, nearly 1,000 individuals have been screened for HIV.
Eric Maldonado, has been named Small Business Person of the Year Contra Costa Council
Maldonado has received certificates of recognition for his award from U.S. Representative George Miller (D-Martinez), State Senator Tom Torlakson (D-Antioch) and Assemblyman Mark DeSaulnier (D-Martinez) for business leadership and outstanding service to the community.
Each chamber in Contra Costa County nominates an outstanding small business person and submits that name to the Council.
The chamber nominees are awarded the title by the Contra Costa Council (Council) at the Annual Small Business Awards Luncheon. Maldonado is this year’s award recipient representing the Hispanic Chamber of Contra Costa County.
Federal Judge rules City of Fresno violated the rights of homeless residents
Destruction of property declared unlawful seizure.
A U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of California has ruled that the City of Fresno’s practice of immediately seizing and destroying the personal possessions of homeless residents violates the constitutional right of every person to be free from unreasonable search and seizure.
“The question is no longer whether the City will have to pay damages to class members, but how much,” said attorney Oren Sellstrom of the Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights. “Given that many homeless people lost everything they owned in these illegal sweeps – including their medicines and items of tremendous sentimental value – we believe the damage award will be significant.”
“The Court’s ruling in this class-action lawsuit makes it clear that our Constitution protects the rights of everybody, rich or poor,” said attorney Michael Risher of the ACLU of Northern California. “It should send a strong message to other cities throughout our country that if they violate the rights of their most vulnerable residents, they will be held accountable.”
Six plaintiffs provided testimony in the case, Kincaid v. City of Fresno, on behalf of the entire class, which includes all homeless people in Fresno who had their property seized and destroyed by the City or by the California Department of Transportation. The case was bought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, and the firm of Heller, Ehrman, LLP.
